Girls Inc. of Lowell gets promoted to new space

LOWELL -- After years of sharing space at the Girls Inc. building on Worthen Street with the younger kids, the teens finally have a cool new space of their own.

At a reception Sunday, Executive Director Carol Duncan unveiled the new third-floor teen center, which will provide older girls with programming that addresses issues like pregnancy, substance abuse and avoiding violence.

The renovations also include a new media room, a new staircase and a new elevator between the second and third floors. The goal is to encourage girls to stay with the center longer for more enrichment, with programs like Discovery Leadership and Girls Make the Message.

"I'll be 13 in August and join the teen program in September. I'm so excited. I can't wait for the opportunities," said Destinee Melendez, a Robinson School sixth-grader.

Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell, with a mission of helping girls navigate gender, economic and social barriers to grow into healthy, educated and independent adults, currently serves about 40 to 60 girls on a typical after-school day, but there are only about six teens who regularly attend programs.

While Outreach Coordinator Charya Uong has been working to bring programs to students in the middle schools who can't get over to Girls Inc. regularly, Duncan said she's hoping that with the new teen center, more girls who can will choose to stay in their older years.

"We used to talk about this in staff meetings; for many years, the girls kept telling us they need a space to call their own," said Duncan.

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In addition to having a better space to run programs for teens, the new center will also be a place for the girls to do homework with their friends and play host to new programs made possible by a recent $5,500 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Claudayzia Brown, a Bartlett Community Partnership School eighth- grader who is involved with Girls Inc., said she looks forward to using the new teen center with her friends to make PSA-type videos on subjects like violence, bullying, racism and sexism.

"Now we have the power to put it to a stop," said Brown, who was at the reception with friends Katelyn Kosiadelon, Kendra Vadnais and Jailyne Rodriguez.

"They're really excited to watch videos about historical issues, too," said Maritza Grooms, Latina program and teen-initiative coordinator for the local Girls Inc.

Duncan thanked her business manager Bob MacPhail, board of directors President Susan Mitchell, past President Carolyn Gregoire and Development Committee Chairman Diane Jeray, along with Chris Clarke of Picard Construction, for their help with the estimated two-year, $300,000 project.

She also expressed gratitude to Jericho Road Project Director Nancy Coan and two affiliated architects, David Holdorf and Bob Jefferies, who helped out significantly.

U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas plans to tour the new teen center Tuesday for the anniversary of President Barack Obama passing the Lilly Ledbetter Act in 2009, ensuring salary equity for women in the workplace.

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